Opinions on a 26 Awesome? This or a 272 baja, looking to buy....

hotstang46 · 04-09-2009, 02:47 AM

So I've been looking and looking and I'm having trouble finding out alot about the boat. I thought I was set on a baja 272 but I really like this machine. I found a GREAT deal on a 1995 26. It has some engine work and is putting out about 550 on pump gas all motor. Bravo one upper 1.5 ratio with xr lower, I'm sure the boat didn't come with this drive right? Owner claims speeds in the 80's with a 5 bladed 24 pitch prop.

What does this boat weight? What is the beam? Is it a true 26ft?

The boat will see a variety of conditions and while I know the baja will be versatile and can handle some chop I have no idea about some of these cats. This appears to be a little deeper than most i've seen in this size. It will see verything from medium sized lakes to Lake Michigan in summer and the intercoastal and small trips out on the ocean from ft lauderdale in winter. Will it handle some chop ok? Nothing crazy but the waves can pick up sometimes on the great lakes. Will it compare possibly in the performance ride wise with a V-Hull in the chop?

I know it will perform better than the baja but I'm more concerned with ride (though the extra speed is nice

)

Anyone insight to this nice little boat would be greatly appreciated. THANK YOU!!

Ran-Dom 32 · 04-09-2009, 02:59 PM

I'm pretty sure the '95 26 had a center pod, the later models had a true tunnel which translates to a better & more capable boat in the rough. It is a true 26' boat & will out perform any equal size V in any given conditions. My brother has a '98 that he's has had since new & I have seen first hand what it can do. He is moving up to a '36 Cat & it's for sale. I've been 115MPH in his 26 & it does it with ease

Dd24skater · 04-09-2009, 06:06 PM

I would pass on the Awesome, after spending a month in a bilge I have the credibility to make that statment!!

Dd

hotstang46 · 04-09-2009, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dd24skater

I would pass on the Awesome, after spending a month in a bilge I have the credibility to make that statment!!

Dd

Would you elaborate?

Dd24skater · 04-10-2009, 07:06 AM

My brother bought a 20 2004 Awesome, I have owned a Skater for 14 years and was responsible for getting him into tunnel hulls. We rigged the boat with an outboard, this is what it was manufactured for and the boat handled and ran poorly. The boat was repowered with another 300x in an effort to improve performance and devloped transom issues. We repaired the boat by rebuilding the transom and adding stringers and bulkheads in the bilge to support the larger outboard. It was the lack of workmanship and any type of quality in the construction of these hulls is why I will always try to warn anyone that wants to know about the Awesomes. The boat was sold a few years back but still when I see anyone with one I always ask how they like the boat and there responses are consistantly poor.

Don't do it!

Ran-Dom 32 · 04-10-2009, 07:59 AM

don't know anything about the 20' , that's not the model this thread is about, I know that like any custom builder, their consistency is not always there, and the last few built especially the '04's would have been likely poor workmanship similar to their business ethics

Duffer · 04-10-2009, 09:43 AM

I Have a 2003 26' Awesome and I absolutely love the boat!! It is by far the best 26' Cat I have ever been in. It handles rough water with ease. It is a true tunnel and you hardly feel the waves it is like riding on a cushion of air. I rigged the boat myself with a 558 merlin tall deck with a M-3 intercooled Procharger = 986 H.P. on Dyno - Boat runs well over 100 M.P.H. and is a blast!! I had to space the drive with a 3" spacer this improved the performance BIG TIME! The boat weighs about 4800 l.bs. - the cabin is a little tight but good storage and I have slept down there - not to bad!! In my opinion the 26' Awewsome is a great boat and it is a shame thet nobody has picked up these molds and started to produce this fine CAT!!! - NOTE: It takes a little more H.P. to push this boat I originally started out with 600 H.P. and the Boat topped out at 80 - 85 M.P.H. on G.P.S.

Ran-Dom 32 · 04-10-2009, 11:41 AM

here's a pic of my brothers '98 26, for sale

hotstang46 · 04-10-2009, 04:19 PM

Well, I've been doing some research and I think I'm going to buy and AWESOME 26. I found a 2001 26 w/bored 502 roller motor merlin heads, etc etc making about 550hp with under 50 hours. Guy says it will do about 74 with four people. Sounds a tad slow huh? maybe it's not propped right?

The cabin is small, but a 27 baja cabin is small too, not really why i'm getting it. I'm sure I'll have lots of questions. It doesn't have silent choice exhaust but this is something I must have. So I'm sure I'll be posting some questions and deffering to some of you more knowledgeable members. This will be the first boat that I've bought (boated growing up all my life with my parents). I'm excited to start customizing.

hotstang46 · 04-11-2009, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duffer

I Have a 2003 26' Awesome and I absolutely love the boat!! It is by far the best 26' Cat I have ever been in. It handles rough water with ease. It is a true tunnel and you hardly feel the waves it is like riding on a cushion of air. I rigged the boat myself with a 558 merlin tall deck with a M-3 intercooled Procharger = 986 H.P. on Dyno - Boat runs well over 100 M.P.H. and is a blast!! I had to space the drive with a 3" spacer this improved the performance BIG TIME! The boat weighs about 4800 l.bs. - the cabin is a little tight but good storage and I have slept down there - not to bad!! In my opinion the 26' Awewsome is a great boat and it is a shame thet nobody has picked up these molds and started to produce this fine CAT!!! - NOTE: It takes a little more H.P. to push this boat I originally started out with 600 H.P. and the Boat topped out at 80 - 85 M.P.H. on G.P.S.

what drive set up do you have? I just got back from a local shop that have some very knowledgable people and they told me my bravo 1 upper and bravo xr lower would not handle the addition of a supercharger at all and said there really was no way to beef the set up enough to handle it without a complete replacement and addition of a very expensive drive. He said basically stay away from the blower unless you want to do that.

Also, when you say a spacer do you mean 3 inches down? Here's the boat I purhcased, is it similair? If so, why would this make such a diff? everyone one I talk to, who of course knows nothing of awesome, including those on this forum in other groups are dumbfounded as to why the spacer would benifit anything. In fact, most opinions were it would be detrimental. Can you shed any light? cheers, Chris....

PS, I'm in portland now but will be coming to chicago in late may early june before heading to florida to hang with friends and do some boating. Expecting to spend the whole summer. I'm not to clear on the local scene because I don't have any friends with boats there. I hear fox lake is cool, but at times dangerous. Any other suggestions? And it may be nice to hook up with another awesome too!